Dance in the Vampire Bund: Lotus Requirem
by Mazamei Echo
Summary: Many stories were lost after the vampire and werewolf war ended. No new stories have been made since, except in secret. Those who had been said to be non-existent, still live on... and their stories were formed to tell what exactly happened to them, the ones whom were left unscathed by the first damning wave. Take a look into their world; accept the dance with the Lotus Clan.
1. Chapter 1: The End Before Beginning

{Alright! Welcome to the story :D I am I big otaku when it comes tot his series and so I decided to create a fanfiction series of my own involving female wolves along with their stories. I have a lot planned so stick around. :)}

"I never wanted things to go this far…" said the voice of a young woman.

Under a bright full moon, Akira was dangling over the Bund below as he grimaced at the sea of glittering lights under his bare feet. He looked back up to the one holding onto him by the hand; a nude young woman with dark hair and light wisteria eyes who had pain across her face.

Akira's eyes glistened at her effort with their hands straining to stay together.

She gasped a sniff as her eyes gleamed over and shimmered in the moons light. "I… I only wanted to serve you as your knight… to fulfill my promise to you… not only that I… I wanted to see you… It's been so long ya know… I just wanted a glance at you… just a meager peek to see how you were, how hurt you were… so I could maybe help you, or even be your friend once again. That's all I wanted, nothing else." She said before bawling. "You are my dearest friend Akira… and I'm so sorry I could not be there when you truly needed me the most. I wanted to come so badly to see you and take care of you! I wanted to be there for you, period! But… I failed… I'm sorry…" She bowed her head over the ledge.

"Fujino…" He airily muttered. His eyes widened with a gasp when her lukewarm tears dripped and drizzled onto his face from her messy bangs.

"Akira…" She raised her head, looking dead into his eyes. "I'm not going to let you go… not like this… I'm not gonna let you die, or let it end like this… you have a lot of those that love and care about you and I'm very happy to know and see that. It doesn't matter what happened to your friends, Akira, they understood and still love you even now… Even Angel…"

Akira felt a sharp pain go through his chest at her words as the memories of his pack mates passed his mind.

"… If anyone should go tonight, Aki-chi… it should be me…" She said.

"What…? Fujino?! Fujino, what are you saying?!" Akira yelled. The way she spoke made him go into panic. The fact she even used the childhood name for him made him uneasy. _'What do you mean by that?! Tell me you aren't!'_ He thought.

She smiled warmly and sniffled for one last time. "It's for the best, sempai… Just remember, won't you? Lord Regendorf of the Earth Clan? I'll always have your back… no matter what. I'll always be here for you… to forever run against the cruel winds besides you…" She said as her grip tightened. "And most importantly, more than anything in this universe;" In silence, the motion of her lips spoke three words that made Akira's eyes glaze in moisture as he frantically called to her.

With all of her might, she swings and throws Akira upwards to safety as he landed on the terrace behind her, only at the cost of herself to sliding off the ledge into the abysmal fall. A horrified face only appeared on Akira as he scurried to the edge and saw her swiftly disappear to the lights of the Bund below. All sound around him faded and awareness to the world disappeared from his being. Yet as he ascended his sight to the dark starry sky above, tears flooded off of his cheeks; only to numbingly release a howling scream. A bright light shined upon him as a helicopter descended from above.

"Akira!" Screamed a familiar voice. "Akira!"

* * *

"Akira." A bellowing, firm male's voice echoed. "Akira."

Bright light greets his eyes with a sting as vision slowly returns. Familiar warmth graces his left arm. His lifeless eyes direct towards the source; yet only a blur of red and white could be seen.

"Akira! Akira, can you hear me? Please answer me! Please!" said an anxious female voice.

His eyes tighten shut into a wince before he opens them again; a world of white around him comes to focus. He found himself in a medical room, a familiar place of cold air and white surroundings. Hearing a sniffle, he found a teary eyed Princess Mina come to focus. He also found his regal faced father, Wolfgang, standing by the princess along with Vera and a teary eyed Yuki.

"Oh Akira, thank goodness you're okay, Akiraa!" Mina exclaimed as she embraced him.

"Princess…?"

"Akira, thank goodness you're alright!" Yuki said before she started crying.

"Yuki? What's going on? Where… am I? Why am I in here…?" Akira asked, looking around in confusion.

"You passed out on the palace roof terrace before the princess and the 8 reached your position." Wolfgang said.

"The roof…?" Akira said. After a moment, he shot up in paranoia. "Fujino!" He then looked to Wolfgang. "Where is she?! Please tell me where she is!"

"Akira?" Mina mewed.

"TELL ME!" He yelled, scaring Yuki and Mina. He saw their expressions and calmed himself before tears started running off his face.

Wolfgang lowered his head. "We have no idea, Akira. Beowulf are searching for her as we speak, once we do, we'll let you know."

"No, you don't understand… I saw her…" Akira murmured. Flashes of their last moment together flicked in and out of his memory. "I saw her… fall…" He said bumping into the wall beside him as tears flooded. "I saw her fall…"

Mina's eyes filled with tears. She climbed onto the bed only to embrace him once more. "Please don't dwell on it anymore, Akira. Please no more… don't cry…"

Akira shook his head. "You don't understand, Princess." He sobbed. "She was the only childhood friend I had left alive, aside from Angie. She was the only true friend I had left... the only one who wasn't hurt by my existence… Why? Why did she have to die like that? She didn't deserve to die like that…" He then paused, a chill passed through him. "Did I do it? Did I kill her? Did I cause her to fight me…? Just be being with her… Did I cause her death?!"

"Akira, don't think that!" Yuki said. "If they haven't found her body then she couldn't possibly be dead right?"

"That's a possibility." Vera agreed. "The Beowulf said that there was no sign of her around the supposed fall site, or other areas she may have landed. No blood either."

"See?!" Yuki said. "And besides, how can you say you caused the fight between you two? She was your friend right? She even said that she would always be by your side no matter the cost because… she said it was her charge…" Yuki looked to the side. "At least… that's what she confided in me…"

Akira only felt nothing but empty. "But I…" Akira whispered coldly.

Mina couldn't bear to see him this way any longer. She only nuzzled him and took him into her embrace. "We'll just have to wait and see, Akira… It's all we can do…" Mina said, stoking his spiky hair. In a gentle voice she told him, "For now, just try to allow yourself to breathe for a little while…"

* * *

Throughout the following day and night, Beowulf and VGS searched around the Bund. No sign of Fujino arose. Akira, after coming out of recovery a few days after the incident, also searched for her. With the only recently taken photo he had, he asked around to many Bund citizens if they had seen her at all. Yet to his dismay, no one had.  
Mina began to worry about Akira as he had continued to search. Yet after a week of no luck, he gradually stopped doing the normal things. Loss of appetite came and spiraled. Insomnia haunted him as he stayed awake throughout the night, and even lasted days at a time until he would pass out. He eventually stopped coming to school the following month.

"Is… is Akira feeling any better, Princess?" Yuki asked Mina in the chairwoman's office.

Mina slowly shook her head. "I've tried everything to get him out of his room… but to no avail, he still won't come out…" Mina said sickened. She was torn even more on the inside that Akira was a mess over another girl.

"Oh… well, I hope he gets better." Yuki said looking down to the floor.

"I as well, Yuki… I as well." Mina said, sipping her stigma.

* * *

The days seemed eternal for Akira when he isolated himself, yet he had begun to slowly get back into reality the week after. However, to Mina, Yuki and others, he still seemed distant to the point of no return. He spaced out frequently and barely noticed anyone around him. It was as if he was recovering from the incident from his rite of passage and became a ghost, all over again.

Within the class, he stared out into the blue abyss outside. _"Fujino… If you're not dead, please tell me… where are you…?"_


	2. Chapter 2: Arrested

It was an experience that lasted a while since Fujino died without a trace for Akira. He had recovered somewhat, and even became more responsive and attentive to Princess Mina to her relief. Yet Kaburagi was still a bit, off.

* * *

The day began and it was the time they spent preparing for school. While Akira brushed her silky yellow hair, Mina couldn't help but to notice him being lifeless still. In her sight he looked a mess; sickly even. However, he gave a warm smile when he noticed her looking at him in concern with her sparkling ruby red eyes. On the inside, she couldn't take it anymore as she burned from the fact that he was still thinking about… that girl.

"Akira?" She called.

"Yeah?" He bellowed.

She hesitated at first, balling her fists up tightly in her lap, but let off a menacing glare at him directly in his cyan colored eyes. "Stop. Thinking about her."

There was no reaction; his face was still blank as he raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Princess?"

She let out a growl of frustration, "I forbid you do you hear me?! I forbid you of ever thinking of that girl again… am I understood?! Akira!" She snapped.

He tilted his head. "I dunno who you're talking about but… whatever you say, Princess…"

Before she could say anything else the door of the bedroom opened, Vera appears.

"Princess."

"Yes, what is it Vera?"

"I hate to disturb you, but you must come to the main entrance right away." She said before the scene goes black. "We have a problem…"

* * *

Within the gaudy entrance of the palace, Beowulf and VGS operatives surround throughout with weapons ready. After being allowed clearance to enter by the Beowulf standing by, Mina, Akira and Vera come to the railing of the balcony over viewing into the center of the room. They find four scantily but uniformed dressed women, two on either side of a fifth woman who stood in front wearing a similar kind of outfit of the women, but with a white buttoned up, militant looking jacket containing an ornate broach over her right breast that was molded in the shape of a water lotus with two olive branches crossed behind it. The beret she wore was white in color, while the other four women wore black berets.

"Her Majesty, Queen Wilhelmina Vlad Tepeş, I presume" Said the woman in white.

"Yes, I am she. But I ask that you call me Princess Mina. What business do you have here?" asked Mina.

"Nothing to commence a threat of any sort I assure you, your highness." She responded. "I am here by order of my superiors, Alpha General Jerdana Watson, and Royal Advisor, Fiva Alistar, to name a couple."

"Oh? And who might you be?" Mina asked.

"My apologies, ma'am; I am Alpha Major Piper Steinveil. The four outstanding, honorable women around me are part of the Lotus Clan Elite Ops; specially selected and trained young ladies who protect members of the Klezarith Royal Family with utmost importance, as well as the treasured BEAM Quaternity and their descendants. There are 4 other operatives here as well, but they are awaiting in stand by in our transportation chopper."

"You speak in high regard of these women." Mina smiled.

Piper smiled back. "Why yes. They are no doubt a sterling gem to our military, and to our Queen."

"I see, you did mention you have a royal family within your clan, Klezarith was it? And you also have a living Queen as well?"

"Yes ma'am, Queen Sadiara Lillithina Klezarith… She is the longest living matriarch, and our beloved illustrious ruler; she is a no doubt a mother to us all along with the Quaternity. Sort of, how you are to the Vampire Society here in this beautiful bund and elsewhere, your majesty."

Mina was impressed, curious as she wanted to meet this queen of theirs; but first came first, she returned to the matter that was ensuing here. "I shall have to meet your Queen one day; but back to the matter at hand, you say that you had some business to be had here with me?"

Piper shook her head. "Not with you in any way, your grace, not specifically at all. However, I do wish it were on better terms that we had met, I say that with whole-heart sincerity. You see, we have come by means to retrieve the guilty one."

Mina gave a questioned look. "The guilty one?"

Piper nodded solemnly, then looked directly at Akira with a glare along with the other four women.

Akira jolted to this gesture.

"Yes you; Child of the Enemy." Piper began. "You wouldn't happen to be, Akira Kaburagi Regendorf, would you? Eldest son of Lord Wolfgang Regendorf, and Lady Hitomi Kaburagi Regendorf*, elder bother to Yuuhi Kaburagi Regendorf, as well as next head Alpha Head of the Earth Clan and servant familiar to Queen Wilhelmina Vlad Tepeş?"

Gasps eroded from all around.

Akira then nodded hesitantly. "Eh, yeah, that would be me…"

"Oh good, it wasn't hard to find you at all."

"How do you know all that about me?" he asked.

"We know practically everything about you; we have our sources, Child of the Enemy. Sadly we cannot reveal them to you, nor did we obtain that information for positive circumstances."

He raised a brow. "Then… what do you want with me? And why do you keep calling me "Child of the Enemy?"

She closed her eyes with a sigh in a pained expression. "Not surprising you don't understand… but you shall soon enough I suppose. As for "What we want with you", we are to take you into custody. After continuous surveillance of our source teams and reading through your information I just can't fathom why you would even commit the most heinous act against the Lotus Clan throne… I'm sorry child that it must be this way, as you are only a boy; but I'm afraid I have to state this to you, for I hath no choice and tis my charge." She then pointed to him with a stern expression , canines visible. "Akira Kaburagi Regendorf; in the name of the Klezarith Royal Family, accompanied with jurisdiction of BEAM Quaternity, and on behalf of the Lotus Clan society with power granted to me by Lotus Clan Law, I place thee under arrest. You shall be transported to our Sanctum to stand trial before the royal court as well as receive and serve out your fate of punishment."

Akira blinked; he couldn't believe what he heard. "What? Under Arrest?"

Piper nodded. "I'm sorry… really I am. But you committed s terrible crime and for that you must be punished by our means."

"Hold on." Vera came forward. "May I ask what crime he has committed?" She asked.

Piper flinched a bit in her heels, then looked to them warily. "The worst crime you could ever commit. A crime that has not only jeopardized our Clan entirely, but has also killed any kind of hope for the future to our existence. Akira Kaubragi Regendorf has been labeled as a not only a traitor, but killer as well… For you see… he is responsible for the death of the last standing blood heir to the Lotus Clan throne; you spilled Royal Blood, boy." She growled with a grimace.

Akira's eyes shot. "What…?"

"You, Child of the Enemy; you're being charged with the murder of thee Princess Fujino Lilliana Klezarith… you two called one another friends? She grew up alongside you in that miserable little Japanese village with her father? I figured she never told you due to reasons of security, but she was indeed a princess. Yet, she was the last living child of Queen Sadiara, the last living blood successor able to take the throne in the name of Klezarith… our last Princess..."

"What?!" Akira said; he began to freak out. "No, I… I didn't! I didn't kill her! This is a mistake! No!"

"What's a mistake?!" Yelled one of the women, who wore glasses. "You killed our princess! You ended our existence! You ruined everything our clan fought for!"

"Gloria! Hold your tongue!" Piper growled.

"… My apologies ma'am. I… It's just I… I couldn't hold my composure anymore…" Gloria turned away.

"Bullshit…" the woman next to her softly mewed, a blonde with soft eyes filled with tears.

"Christina, keep it together!" Piper snapped.

"I'm sorry ma'am, it's… it's just that the memories are haunting again… It's happening again…"

"Ma'am, permission to remove my comrade for recuperation?"

Piper nodded. "Granted."

Gloria goes to and gently embraces Christina, and walks the now sobbing woman out of the open doors.

"Marina, Melisande."

The two other women look to Piper in attention.

"Retrieve the target so that we may leave. We've overstayed our welcome and this is wearing entirely too thin right now."

"Understood, ma'am." They responded as they proceeded to the stairway.

"Akira, I suggest you come quiet and easy like. I wish not to fight you or your brethren, or even engage in battle for that matter period."

"But I didn't murder Fujino! I swear!"

"Calm down, Akira." Mina snipped. "I understand that there is a law within your clan. I don't mean to disrespect or interject, but Akira is still my servant. I will not give him up to just anyone."

"Mm, that is understood your highness… yet it's required anyway that you accompany; he is your servant of importance, and you are able to stand trial with him as his defense. You are in no way involved or to be punished, but you may speak for him to vouch for his innocence."

"Stand aside, Beowulf!"

"Stand back!"

Piper looks to the commotion, Marina was standing at odds with one of the guards at the stairway.

"Remus. It's alright; allow them to do their order by their superior." Mina said.

"Y-yes, ma'am." Remus stood aside with cut eyes in disgust as Marina cut back with the same mutual feeling, as if they were engaged into a sword based battle via sight as she went up the stairs.

"You may want to pack a few things as will take more than a day to complete." Piper said. "I shall wait for you in our chopper." She said, walking to the doors.

"Vera."

Vera looked to her. "Are you sure, Princess?" Vera asked in concern.

"I sense no lies in her words. I would like to meet this ruler of theirs as well…"

Vera nodded and went to do her task.

Melisande, a strawberry blonde, searched Akira as Marina waited to place the cuffs.

"My my, such a petite body for a loup enfant." Said Ninette.

Akira blushed.

"Ninnette… Honestly dear, stop feeling him up; just search him so I can get the cuffs on." Marina said.

"Oui, Mari. My goodness you're no fun." She pouted.

"No because I'm at work. As you should be… Bedsides I don't quite fancy anything Earth Clan related... especially their, ahem, loins… Now, try and be quick love, I want to get away from this Earth Clan cesspool as soon we can get."

"Oui, I agree. Yet, Mari, you have to admit even for an Earth Clan child his body is, délicieuse? Ehuhu~ I couldn't resist."

"Of course you couldn't. But like I said before dear, I have no interest." Marina sighed.

"What do you have against the Earth Clan?" Akira asked.

"Hush that lovely mouth of yours, mon cher. Or else Mama Ninne will hush it for you. Besides, that is a long story to tell; one I bet you don't want to hear…" Melisande said standing. "Alright, Mari."

"Right, hands over your head now." Marina commanded.

"A long story?" He said raising his hands.

"Yes… a dark one that. Let's just say that the Earth Clan was whom made the poisoned blood between us. Believe it or not, the Lotus Clan and Earth Clan were once one, one as a people a point in time… but, that story shall be saved for another time pup. I might tell it to you before your death." Mari said. "Now start walking." She said pointing her sword against him.

* * *

Meanwhile in the chopper.

Christina growled in frustration, "Why did I let myself lose it back there?!"

"Calm down, Chris." Gloria said cradling her comrade's hands. "It's understood, alright? You're not the only one feeling this. It's bad enough as it is, I mean there's nothing to do about it, crying won't help either... The Queen has held her crown for a long time, centuries actually. She's even told us herself she's too old to have any more children and even though she won't admit it she can't exist forever, the sanctum is a great indicator for that one. She's in her 500s for Christ's sake..."

"So what's going to happen is what I'm afraid of… What's going to happen to all of us, huh? Are going to be put out into the world up here? Or are we going to close ourselves up like the matrons before us and like in the dark like trolls until we rot away one by one? We all know there isn't any other person to take over if she passes. Not even any of the illusionists can take on the task she's been doing. Not even Lady Beatrice, and she's the most powerful there is but even she's ancient! If she goes then everything we know will just fizzle away..." She curled into her seat. "Look, I'm sorry really Gloria... I'm just scared, really scared… I bet the Black Mercato has even gotten wind of this, and just drooling at the chops waiting for us to crack, like a pack of wild dogs stalking a warren of vulnerable bunnies in the dark…"

"Aah…" A small girl moaned as she squirmed in her seat, covering her ears. "Shizuka…" She said, burying her head into a beautiful woman with black hair and grey eyes sitting next to her.

"Christie, I know things are frightening right now but, could you please do not bring them up right now… if you can help it?" Shizuka asked gently as she curled her arm around the girl.

Christina looked at the girl then down to the floor, putting a hand on the girls' head to pet it. "… Sorry Germaine, I didn't mean to scare you honey…"

In the cockpit, two other women sat with worried expressions as they over heard the commotion from the cabin.

"Mm? ... I know you are… You don't have to tell me twice… … No I haven't… But after this, I'll be going to be with him… like I told you before you're more than welcome to come as well, but I know you're more than likely to go stay with your cousins… … They are…? I see…"

"Victoria, Amielle." Piper said as she came in.

"Yes ma'am?" said Victoria.

"Place the chopper in power save, we are awaiting the Princess as well as her selected retainers to arrive on board shortly. I'd prefer that we not crash into the ocean, swimming is truly unattractive…"

"Understood ma'am." Victoria replied as she placed the vehicle under the power save.

Piper then came into the passenger cabin. "Honestly, who died?"

The women jumped as they looked to her.

"Really now, here we are proud warriors of the Lotus Clan and, look at how we displaying that." She said sitting in her seat.

"But we're about to die." Said Germaine. "Who's proud of that?!"

"Germaine!" Snapped Shizuka.

Piper only hooted. "To be young again; dearest Germaine, understand that with a bright time there is a dark one. Our dark one has shown itself once again since the Great War between Werewolves and Vampires. Every civilization had its moment in the sun before it either died off in darkness or became a phoenix and rose from its ashes. The last dark time, we were under the merciful phoenix and survived, coming back stronger, able, lovelier than before… Now, the real question is, who's mercy are we under this time round; the erasing miasma of the dark… or the glorious light of the life giving phoenix?"

The women looked to one another with questioning eyes, then to the floor in uncertainty.

* * *

Mina and Vera walked side by side as they were escorted to the outside. Vera was still worried about the entire thing, seeing how they just ended a battle with Telomere.

"Princess, are you really sure about this?"

"As sure as I'll ever be, Vera; besides, I want to meet this queen of theirs. Once this is resolved and Akira is proven innocent, I'll then be sure to teach their queen to not meddle with my affairs or my servants." Mina finished.

"Yes ma'am." Vera replied.

*An Authors Note: I decided to give Akira's mother a name since Nozomi-sensei never gave her one. I mean if he did and you know it please let me know but otherwise that will do lol. Oh and Remus is one of the Elite 8, also known as Wolf Boys, and he is part of team 1 with Romulus. Personally I think he's hawt but hey what werewolf isn't hot in Dance in the Vampire Bund? Even the old men from the manga had something good XD Also I have watched the anime and have possession of all of the available manga from the DIVB series including Dive, Sledgehammer and Scarlet Order as well as the Doujins, so I will have a few chapters with these series in mind too along with the characters within them. So stay tuned, yes? :3*

*PS: as for the chapters I posted before in this story, I will bring them back but at a later point in the story, so dun worry X3 They'll be back!*


	3. Chapter 3: Summer Vacation I

Mina's face shown distraught. "WHAT?" She shouted.

Akira rubbed the back of his spiky, bed styled hair. "Well yeah… no need to freak out Princess, it's only for summer break."

"W-what do you mean only for summer break?! You mean the ENTIRE break?!"

Akira nodded with uneasy strain in his face. "I mean, that's what I told her. Besides I haven't seen her in so long…"

Earlier, Akira wrote a letter text to his mother stating that he would be coming to visit and stay for summer break. As he figured, however, Mina was not pleased at all.

She whined to this response. "But you promised me that we would spend more time together. The Bund is established, and the cleomes are still in bloom. You said you'd view them with me!"

He bowed his head. "Look I'm sorry, Princess. I really am… err, how about this; I'll come back a week ahead of time and in that final week, we'll do whatever you want to. Ahh… Whaddaya say? Sound fair, right?" He said scanning back to her piercing eyes.

Her silence and glare made small beads of sweat appear on his face as he smirked hard awaiting her response.

She finally looked away with poked out lips. "No, it doesn't… but I'll accept it just this once. Stay the length you agreed upon." She then shot a side eye. "But next break, Akira, you'll spend the entirety of it with me, Got that?"

He bellowed. "Yeah yeah, I got it..."

"Do you promise me?"

He nodded again. "Yes I promise."

"Good." She started towards the door. "By the way, be sure to give my regards to your mother."

He continued putting clothes into the duffel bag on his bed with closed eyes. "Will do."

* * *

On the train ride, Akira sat silently in his seat with his earphones in. When his cell phone vibrated in his pocket he took it out and saw that a message from Mina appeared, wishing him well and that she was missing him already, creating a soft smile on his face. When the last stop of the route was announced, Akira grabbed both the duffel bag and his backpack as he stood and came to the doors. With the outside slowly coming to a complete stop, the train doors opened, and after walking into the platform he glanced at the station before him, worn from age with no one inside; a clear indicator that he was home at last.  
As the train started back towards civilization in the distance, disappearing from sight, Akira took a deep breath of fresh air and looked to the tree lined path before him that led to a distant town.

 _"It's been a while since I been here. A couple things may look different but it really all looks the same way it did when I left with dad years back. The same houses, the same town that they surround. But I gotta admit; it's good to be back. No skyscrapers, no bullets flying at me and no threats; just heat, crisp air and cicadas…"_

Akira reached his childhood home, a nice sized house with Japanese and European charm surrounded by shade giving trees in the front and tall ones in the back. He entered through the front gate and without warning, two vibrantly blue butterflies cross his path. He watched how they danced away in the breeze towards the sky, reminding him of the story of The Butterfly and The Flower. _"Good to see that the story isn't always ending in tragedy."_ he thought. Smiling, he continued to the door and knocked firmly. The door opens and a finely dressed woman stands before him.

"Hello, Akira, nice to see you made it." She said with a smile, lending a guiding hand towards the inside.

"Nice to see you're well, Saiya-san. Is mom able to see me right now?" he said as he stepped inside.

"Oh yes, she's been waiting for you. She's out in the garden. Shall I take your bags?"

He raised a hand with a blush. "No no, I'm good. I'll take them up, thanks though."

"Alright, suit yourself." Saiya smiled.

Outside, in a wheelchair stationed near a decorative table of tea and snacks, Lady Kaburagi Regendorf typed on her cell phone. However, as soon as she looked up and saw Akira approaching from the house, she finished swiftly and sent the message before closing the phone and sliding it between the inside of the chair and her thigh.

"Hey Mom." He called with a raised hand.

"Akira." She said gently with relief. "My darling Akira, welcome home." She said as she embraced him into a hug.

"I missed you so much."

"And I've missed you more than you know; but now you're here, that's all that matters."

He looked over to the tea cup. "You've never changed your habits huh."

"Oho," She chuckled. "You know this is what I'm into nowadays."

"Yeah, I know..." He said before frowning. "Are you feeling any… better these days?"

She nodded. "Mhm."

"You sure?"

She gave a smirked. "Akira, sweetie, I'm fine. Besides, I can still go places, I have Saiya, and I have visits from friends so it's not like I'm alone here ya know?"

"But mom," He knelt to her. "I can't help but to think you're here all alone now. I mean Dad has taken me away and now, Yuuhi… I mean come on, are you really sure you're okay with that fact? Sorry but... I don't understand…" Tears started to form in his eyes and his mother took notice.

"Akira, please don't be upset or despair at your father. I'm sure he told you, that we mutually agreed to what we would do as far as what we thought was best for Yuuhi. Besides, I'm not a werewolf, and I wouldn't know the first thing on how to help him best understand that part of himself. He was happy to come live with you and your father too; he missed you both very much."

"But that meant that you wouldn't have any of us here with you now. I swear it's not fair for you..."

His mother leaned and touched foreheads with him. "Now now, calm yourself. No need to get worked up on my account, I'm just fine as you can see. So ease yourself the worry… relax, and let's get started on your summer vacation, mm? Besides, I think that's what vacations are for, right?" She said with a wink and warmth in her voice.

Akira felt light and serene; with a nod he sank into his mother's lap and stayed there for a while, eventually falling asleep.

* * *

The following morning, Akira awoke in his dim lit childhood room with only the crack of dawn seeping in from the closed curtains. Getting out of bed, he went to them and spread them open allowing the warm morning sun to grace his body in an embrace. Seeing out the window glass he saw the surrounding murky forestry with clouds of mist congregated all around leaving pebbles of dew on leaves and flowers in their wake.

Plopping to his bed, he stared at the ceiling above. As he gazed, he thought about everything that he'd been through. The memories and moments of happiness and sadness whirled in his mind; meeting and making the seemingly eternal promise to Princess Mina, gaining and losing so many friends new and old... which pained him more as there were more of those he lost that accumulated. He felt pressure in his chest as he even crossed the memories of the deaths of his friends; Graham, Sanin, Hiko, and more recent, Mei Ren.  
The pain from grief almost consumed him into making him scream, until he heard front door being knocked on downstairs. Saiya answered it with a joyful tone and an unfamiliar, sweet female voice arose with equal elation. After a while footsteps softly patted up the steps but went faint when they reached the top, and the voice spoke again on the other side of the house. Akira opened his door, but saw no one, only the smell of Saiya, his mother and a strange yet pleasant scent that he knew smelled familiar but had difficulty recalling whom it belonged to. Laughter could be heard in the direction of the other hallway across foyer passed the stairs.

 _"Who's that at this time of day?"_ He thought in bewilderment.

He came close to the door of his mother's room, seeing it was cracked he tried to eaves drop as a way to figure out who was in the house visiting with her. Suddenly, startling him stiff, the door opened and a girl with dark auburn hair peeked out from within. He blinked in confusion but couldn't help but be struck by her light violet eyes. Observing her further, he saw that her marigold yellow dress that was thigh length and revealed a slender leg. When he beheld her face again he saw that a sultry smile was formed from her shiny glossed lips. After gazing one anotherin awkward silence, she eventually broke in laughter that calmed to soft giggles before looking to him again.

"Geez, you never cease to amaze. I see you haven't changed at all, Akira-sempai." She chirped.

"You know me?"

"Tch! Duh!" Her eyes rolled. "How can I not remember you?"

He raised a brow. "Interesting, somehow I don't can't seem to remember, or know for that matter, exactly who you are."

Subtle shudders ran through her making her jump and shake her head. She duly noted his confusion and tensed meekly, sinking further into the room before eventually disappearing making Akira come to the doorway. He found the girl crawling onto his mothers bed and curling up next to her, both looking to him in unison before smiling, making him even more befuddled at the situation.

* * *

"Wow... you warned me but still... I see he doesn't remember me at all… his amnesia must've been really bad… looks like it still is too... Poor guy..."

White fluffy clouds drift by in the blue skies above. In the back landing Lady Kaburagi was finishing breakfast and the girl sat on the edge with slender legs hanging.

Lady Kaburagi placed her fork on the table. "From what Wolf explained, it was really severe. He remembered practically no one, not even Princess Mina herself."

The girl turned to her direction. "Ah, the vampire princess he serves?"

Her ladyship nodded. "However, she managed to get him to remember her not too long ago, but it's still a work in progress."

The girl sighed as she stretched, and lies down to the cool cement below her, kicking her legs from the edge they hung from. "Poor guy… This seriously wouldn't have happened if I didn't have to go home… I could have protected him... I mean that's what I swore I'd do... I'll take the blame for this for sure..."

"Yet from the looks of it, it couldn't be avoided dear."

She shot up, looking to Lady Kaburagi, "I know but-"

"Don't worry too much more on it, sweetie. He'll remember you soon enough. Besides, recovery takes time, and a bit of patience, he'll recover. So please don't blame yourself or even take the blame. Even with your abilities, you have your limitations. What happened to him was no fault of yours nor the fact of you having to return to home, you had no choice; it was due to safety reasons if I recall."

The girl nodded. "Yeah... stupid mercato was targeting me again…" She fidgeted with the hem of the dress' skirt. "I had to flee the country and be gone to the world for a while… and of course when that happens all hell breaks loose, and the one I cherish the most gets caught in the crossfire and is not only hurt but... uugh... what a time to be alive... I really hate my life, I swear…"

"Don't say that. It's not a good thing to say." Lady Kaburagi snapped.

"But I do!" She whined laying back down. "It's a pain, a huge pain! Seriously…why couldn't I have been born a normal human being, with a normal life, and could go anywhere freely like normal people without risk of being kidnapped, shot at or blown up… I mean was that too much like right? Seriously!"

Lady Kaburagi smiled. "You've asked that many times before, and I'll keep telling you, you have been given a special task in life and you were meant to be a very special individual in this world. You may think of it as unsavory now, but I have a feeling that it won't always feel and be that way for you, and you'll be glad to live and be alive soon enough... trust me."

The girl groaned then blew at her shaggy bangs. "… And yet again, you're right. I guess I'll try not to gripe too much... As much as I want to..." She looked to her ladyship. "I hate it when you go all mom on me."

Lady Kaburagi chuckled. "Well, how long have we known each other in order for me to do that?"

"Way~ too~ Long~" She sung causing them to both laugh.

"Hey." Akira was approaching them, coming out in his white tee shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. "I miss the joke?"

"Nope." Said the girl sitting up again only to hop on the deck followed with stretches.

"We talk like this all the time. It's a normal thing, don't mind us." Lady Kaburagi giggled.

"I guess, if you say so." He said before turning tot he girl. "So, mind telling me who you are exactly?"

She stared for a moment before emitting a raspberry.

"Hey!"

Lady Kaburagi only shook her head laughing at the two.

"I only asked you a question!" He said raising his voice.

The girl poked her hip. "Hm, no need to get all pissy. Besides I'm not the one walking around here like a senile old man. I'm also surprised, I didn't think you remembered well enough to form sentences, ya know with the brain loss and what not. I mean I see some, but I know not all the lights are on~" She grinned brightly with canines.

"Why you little- Get back here!"

The girl paused in the middle of the yard waving. "Heehee, if you can talk me back, oh wait, can you do that without getting me lost, grandpa!"

Akira growled as he darted from the porch starting the chase.

Lady Kaburagi only sipped her tea, getting a kick out of the teens running around the yard. By the looks of things, they could last into the next day. The girl bested Akira without difficulty as he only tried his best to nab her every chance he got. Akira leapt into bushes and got stuck in them from attempts to pounce his taunter only for her to yank at his pants revealing his butt causing him fight loose and go after her again. It passed his mind, however, at how fast she ran and could understand how she was able to avoid being caught along with her inhuman acrobatics. But his determination prevented him from asking this of course.

Seeing them smile and hearing them both laugh as they played surged a tender touch to Lady Kaburagi's heart, as two friends were once again enjoying each other's company, just like the young children they were once did.

**Sorry for the long delay, so much has happened, but writer's block is lifted and story proceeds. On to the next bit I go :3**


	4. Chapter 4: Summer Vacation II

When evening fell, Akira was finishing up a long, vigorous hot shower, making it a point to no longer smell of pine and soil. Coming into the room he froze, seeing the girl nosing around his bookshelf.

"Enjoy your shower?"

"I did- what are you doing in here?" He blushed.

"Snooping around, ya mind?"

"I certainly do!"

She shrugged. "Too bad. Glad you had a good shower though, even if it was funny that you smelled like a lawn mower that devoured a Christmas tree."

"Shut up..." He said passing by scratching a towel on his head.

She pulled a manga ad flipped through the pages. "I see your taste in books hasn't changed. Nor have you given up your Pokémon paraphernalia yet." She pointed to the pikachu plush at the end of the shelf.

"I am not giving up my Pokémon colle- What are you doing in here anyway?! I gotta get dressed!" He blushed brighter tightening the grip on the towel around his waist.

"Bii!" She licked her tongue out. "Besides you don't have anything I've never seen before, ya big dummy! I've been in here many times too, especially as a kid; quit treating me like a foreign space object already!"

He scoffed, then bursts into laughter. "Foreign space object?"

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up chuckles. By the way, I see your manhood." She pointed.

Akira turned blood red in the face and looked down.

"Made ya look!" She laughed.

"Don't do that!"

"Why?" She said plopping onto the bed and starts bouncing around. "It's so much fun!"

"Hey! Get off of there!" He said going to the bed.

"It's not like it was made!"

"Cut it out!"

"Can't, it'll grow back!"

"Get down from there already!"

"Come get and make me, Schnookums~!" She taunted as she evaded.

He growled. "Another lunatic!"

"Sure am!"

Akira attempted to leap into her only to miss. The girl then seized her jumping and before getting off the bed she snatches his towel, revealing his behind.

She rests her fists into her hips. "My my, I've seen more than enough of your ass today, but I've got to admit it's not a bad sight, considering it's nicely shaped and firm." She said with an observant pose. "Good enough to eat."

He looked back, red all over with soft eyes that caught her off guard.

 _"Wow those eyes… geez Akira, don't seduce me."_ She thought.

Sliding to the pillows beside him, he grabbed one and covered his butt before turning over.

"Look here yo-"He paused noticing her face reddening.

"Oooh look~" She said before blushing, turning away giggling with zeal. "What a sight!" She began to laugh.

He looked down. Glowing red all over, he quickly reached for another pillow, looking up to the ceiling afterwards.

"Not only do you have a beautiful ass, but you have a marvel display of manliness to go along with it. Her majesty Tepes sure is lucky, I am so jealous... seriously, I want to fight her right now..." She said sashaying around in a daze.

Akira's heart was skipping beats, he felt so vulnerable. He looked to the girl, watching her weave around. Even though she was wearing a dress, she was so buxom in her shape that the dress did not conceal it well. Yet, what did him in was the return of the sultry smile she gave, with her violet eyes that only got more tempting as she came towards him. She handed him his towel.

"Here. Make yourself decent hey?"

He took the towel slowly making her chuckle before heading to the door.

"I'll let you get dressed in privacy. See you downstairs, Senpai." She said before closing the door.

He instantly dropped to the bed in exhaustion. His pillow that covered his front caused a bit of pain making him let go of it, which propelled across the room thanks to his throbbing erection.

 _"I can't stand her."_ He groaned in his mind.

* * *

The next day, Akira finished eating lunch. His mother, sitting across from him, sipped her juice.

"Hey, mom?"

"Yes, Akira?"

He looked down. "Does that girl come over here all the time?"

She looked to him. "Yes. When she gets the chance."

"Did she always come over here?"

She smirked. "Every day, when you two were younger."

Akira thought long and hard, delving into the memories he had. "Why can't I remember her then?"

"Perhaps it's been a long time?"

"I guess..." He said before biting food from fork.

* * *

Akira stood at the entryway. "I'm going to walk around town for a bit."

"Alright." Lady Kaburagi said. "Have fun. Oh and if you see Fujino, could you tell her to pick up some chocolate chips?"

"Chocolate... chips?"

Saiya nodded. "You see her ladyship asked me to look for some in the kitchen, but sadly we're all out."

"We were going to make cookies and have ice cream. Tonight is our T.V. show night." Lady Kaburagi mused.

"You and Saiya-san?"

Lady Kaburagi chuckled. "No silly, me and Fujino. The girl that you "met" yesterday."

"I'm not much of a T.V. woman." Saiya said. "This is my spa night."

Akira blinked. "Alright... well if I see her I'll let her know."

"Thank you~ See you later, sweetie."

Akira smiled then turn and left out the door.

 _"So her name is Fujino? Why does that sound familiar? This is really going to bug me..."_ He thought as he walked. _"She is a beauty though, just a little annoying, were we really friends at one point?"  
_

* * *

When the sun hit the top of the sky so did the heat. With waves of the suns rays rising from the dry dirt, and the cicadas in the nearby trees singing on, a girl sprints across a white line before sliding to a diamond pad, followed by another girl who runs by cussing a storm.

"SAFE!"

A series of claps and cheers from the girls in the benches and the cage echoes around the field. Akira, whom was coming from the old wooden school behind him, was on the path besides the field headed for the shopping district ahead before witnessing the baseball game in action. He took a seat on the stone stairs shaded by a tree, deciding to take a break from roaming.

A familiar girl walks up to the first base catching his attention, tipping up her hat and beating the soles of her shoes with her bat. Raising the bat and in readied position, she blows a pink bubble from cherry bubblegum, waiting for the pitch. With high focus and attention to the body language of the pitcher, she swings when the ball came close and hits it's into the forestry in the distance, hitting every base, completing a home run that made everyone cheer.

"And that's the game!" An older woman said. "Good job girls! Keep practicing like this and we're sure to kick some major ass next year!"

The girls cheered all around, then disbursed into small groups, gathering their things and equipment, even clamored around the girl whom Akira was scoping, gazing a smile. Some took notice to his presence until the girl looked over to him and giggled.

"Who's the cutie?"

"Dunno, but doesn't he look familiar?"

A girl gasped. "Ya know you're right?"

"Hey, he's that guy from T.V."

"On T.V.?"

"Yeah! He's usually with the vampire princess in Tokyo! Mina Tepes?"

"Oh my god, you're right! It is him!"

"Yep." The girl said coming to the group clutching her bag. "Akira Kaburagi!"

"Wow he's super hot in person!"

"Wonder what he's doing here?"

"Holy shit Fujino!"

"You know him?"

Fujino smirked. "Yeah, in a way."

The girls all leaned in.

"In what way..."

She blushed and waved hands. "Whoa hey, hey, nothing like that, we're just friends!"

"Just friends huh?"

"So he's up for grabs?"

"Ehh, unless you want to fight Mina Tepes." She clears her throat and raises a finger. "The vampire princess is highly jealous and keeps close tabs on him. Try to flirt if you want but I highly doubt it's easy."

"Wow, you're right."

"You sure know a lot, Fuji-ko."

She starts away. "A lot but not everything. Catch you guys later!"

"See ya, Fujino!"

"Bye!"

He saw that she coming towards him and stood.

 _"Wonder what he's up to, looking like a creepy weirdo watching us."_ She thought.

When she stopped at the stairs she tipped up her cap with a grin. "Afternoon stranger!"

He chuckled. "Hello to you, too. You got water on you? You look sweaty and sound worn out."

She sighed. "Hah, I did the smartest thing ever and accidentally left it at home."

Akira shook his head. "What made you do that?"

"Wasn't thinking about it ya know?"

He loomed over her with a smile. "Well as a fellow athlete, I'm going to advise that you not do that again."

She blew and waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep that in mind coach."

He gave a side eye. "Now I'm coach?"

"Oh so you prefer sempai?"

He cut eyes. "Eh?"

She gave a sensual pose, shiny beads of sweat sliding down exposed sun kissed skin. "Oh sempai~ Notice mee~" She moaned.

Akira turned beet red and looked away.

She busts out laughing. "Are-are you serious! Hahaha! Come on Akira, don't make it too easy for me to mess with you! Challenge me some time!"

"How in hell do I do that!"

She only smiled.

He cleared his throat. "Anyway, your name is Fujino, right?"

Her eyes lit in startle. "Uh... huh...?"

"Well, is it?" He asked.

She nodded. "Uh, yeah. I'm Fujino, yeah!" Her chest became tight as joy filled within.

"Oh cool. I got a message for you from mom, she was asking that you pick up some chocolate chips for some cookies. It's T.V. night for you two apparently and we ran out."

Fujino blinked. "Oh, okay. Yeah I can do that."

He nodded and stared away before pausing. "By the way, your name... it's, pretty." He started down the path towards the shopping district.

She was frozen in place. She looked down, trying to take in what happened. The joy disappeared but the tight feeling remained. But she did have a little bit of comfort as he did say her name. But she knew she had to do as his mother said, be patient.

* * *

Watching old movies, and indulging in messy, warm chocolate chip cookies and ice cream in bed, Fujino looked to Lady Kaburagi.

"He said my name today."

"He did?"

She nodded. "He still doesn't know me... but when he said my name... I don't know... I got happy..."

Lady Kaburagi looked over to Fujino, who's tears dropped into her bowl. She smiled as she rubbed the girl's back. "Perhaps it's the fact that he said your name that made you happy. Hearing his voice say it."

"It was..." She sniffed, taking a napkin and wiping her eyes and nose. "It may not be what I hoped for, and maybe I'm just stupid for being like this, but at least he said it. I'm so happy right now..."

Lady Kaburagi nodded. "And there is nothing stupid about the way you feel. No one likes being forgotten either. If hearing him say your name brings you joy either way, allow yourself to feel the joy. Why, I'm happy for you, as I know he is your best friend and you were so worried about him all the time you weren't together."

"It killed me..."

"And that only shows you still care about him. And that is always a pleasure to anyone. But until then, you already know, just be patient."

Fujino nodded and finished her desert before curling into a ball next to Lady Kaburagi, resuming their night.

* * *

Akira was in his room, texting with Princess Mina.

[Is it over yet, Akira? I miss you]

[Come on Princess, I just got here.]

[It feels like an eternity though. I'm already lonely.]

[Where's Vera?]

[I want you, Akira. Only you. You know this.]

[I know, but don't worry, I'll be back before you know it.]

[You better be, or I'll drag you back myself.]

[Yeah, yeah I know, anyway, I'm going to sleep now.]

[Ok. Well. Goodnight, Akira. Sweetest of Dreams.]

[Goodnight, Princess. You as well.]

***So much better, alright! On the to the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5: Summer Vacation III

{Yay, new chapter, here we go! Happy Holidays, and Merry Christmas :P}

* * *

-10 years ago from present day, May of 1999-

Crisp, morning spring air blew gently on dew covered tree leaves. The suns melancholy rays spill over upon the town that was awakening and beginning its life for the day. Along a road within a neighborhood, a man in his late twenties with black slicked hair, whom wore black frame glasses, wearing a grey suit and with a dark metallic tie, held the hand of a small girl whom had dark auburn hair tied, with a large rose pink bow, into a low-ponytail. She wore a pair of pink rimmed glasses with pink tinted lenses, a black turtleneck shirt with a white, short sleeve blouse over top and a pink, white and red plaid skirt with black tights covering her legs.

As they walked along, the girl looked up to her father. "Daddy."

His voice was soothing as he bellowed a response. "Yes?"

"Can't I stay home with you? Please?"

He sighed airily. "I… wish you could honey. But daddy has to go back to work. So he won't be here at home as it is."

Her big eyes of light purple narrowed. "Going… back to Tokyo…?"

"Yeah. I have to…"

"Oh… Well… why can't I go with you, daddy? I want to go to home, and go to school there. I miss our old house daddy, and my friends. Kimura-Sensei, too; I was going to have her this year. So please, please can I go with you, daddy?"

He took a breath, his tone became firm. "Now, Fujino, we've already talked about this… numerous times. There is no need to talk about it again." A soft smile formed on his face. "Besides, we now live in a nice little town, away from the city; far enough away from harm. Our new house is cozy and nice too, you told me that yourself."

"But that was before we moved in and you said this was our new home…"

"Yet you still said you were okay with it and liked everything. We took a look around the town, met the people and you even explored around the house, no complaints then."

She silently sighed and her glasses slid down before she pushed them up with a flinch.

"Trust me little girl, everything will be alright and you'll learn to love it more as we stay. You'll make new friends, and love a new teacher like you loved Kimura-Sensei. Plus you're not too far from home from your school. Why, we're here already." He said directing her attention to the school.

Behind a tall cement wall, a large wooden building stood with cherry blossom trees scattered around it, blossom petals rained down as they waltzed in the wind.

Fujino felt pounds within her chest as they turned and entered onto the pathway towards the entrance. "I-I… I don't feel good…"

"You're fine." He said opening the door leading her in.

Her shaggy bangs shrouded her eyes as her shoulders tensed. "I'm not fine. I ate butterflies… Can we go home?"  
Her father snorted with an internal chuckle. "Honey," He said stopping and kneeling down to her, cupping her cheeks with warm hands. "There's no need to be nervous. You're going stay here and have a good day today, I know so. Besides, this is only day one, so if it doesn't go so well now, you have many more days ahead. Remember what mommy and I would tell you?"

She rubs the sole of her red, high-top van sneakers into the black and white checkered floor below looking down with a blush. "You never know what a new place will bring, unless you explore with an open-mind smiling."

He nodded. "That's right. So turn that frown upside down, take a deep refreshing breath, tell those butterflies to give it a rest; and have the best first day ever… got it?"

"Yes sir… But daddy, I'm not coming on the first day of school. So it's still embarrassing…"

"No, it isn't the first day," He said standing back up. "But you're coming on _your_ first day; nothing wrong with that at all." He reached for and took her hand again. "Now no more buts, whines or excuses; get that beautiful smile on, and let's go meet your principal."

With force, she smiled. "Yes, daddy."

"Heh, right on." He said, as they walked up the stairs to the second floor.

* * *

A middle aged man, sitting behind the desk in a dark navy suit stood, holding out his hand. "Ah yes, Amemori-San I presume, welcome!"

"Yes, thank you very much, Yamada-Sensei." Her father said, shaking Yamada's hand. "I must say your school looks great and inviting."

"Oh thank you highly for that, good sir, it means a lot to hear. Being principal of a wonderful school does bring me great joy, but hearing compliments from the parents is even greater."

Dad nodded in agreeance.

"And this lovely young lady is your daughter?"

Fujino scurried behind her father then peers around bashfully.

He shook his head and sighed with a smile. "Yes indeed. Her name is Fujino. Please forgive her though, she's very shy and has been stressing about this whole day."  
Yamada chuckled making his white mustache blow out with every breath. "Oh that's alright, a normal reaction to any new experience, especially coming to a new school of new faces and adventures. But not to worry, Tori-Sensei should be here any minute. She's the vice principal, lovely woman she is, she'll help Fujino-chan settle in."

Dad looked down to her with a wink making his daughter smile brightly in return. The door opens and the clicks of black heels follows making everyone turn to a woman, appearing to be in her early twenties, whom walked in wearing a black suit.

"Ah, Amemori-San right? Sorry I wasn't present when you first arrived. I just finished announcements for the day." She smiled.

Yamada nodded. "Splendid work."

"Wait," Dad said. "You're Tori-Sensei, the person I spoke to over the phone?"

She nodded with a bow. "Yes. Pleased to make your acquaintance and to finally meet you face to face."

He rubbed the back of his neck with a blush. Fujino winced at her father's reaction.

Tori came closer and knelt down to Fujino. "And you must be Fujino-chan, nice to meet you as well."

Startled with a squeak she scuttles to the other side of her father's leg, and peers around to view her, trembling.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Her father waved his hand. "You did nothing of the sort. She's like this with everyone."

Tori smiled. "I see. That's fine." She held out her hand to Fujino, whom hid further into her spot. "It's okay, Fujino-chan. I only want to be your friend. Won't you help me help you make your first day great? What do you say?"

Fujino looked down in thought; then looked to her father, who gave a smiling nod and forward gesture for her to go with Tori. Fujino bit her lip, and slowly came from her safe space, taking Tori's hand which was toasty and silky soft to the touch.

Walking towards the door together, Fujino looked back and waved to her father making him wave back. "Have a good day, sweetie. I love you. Oh, and Saiya will be waiting for you at the house so go straight home okay?"

Fujino nodded before disappearing behind the door with Tori.

* * *

"I bet coming here from Tokyo has been a really big change for you, Fujino-chan."

Fujino nodded and sighed in response. "Yes ma'am…"

Tori sensed a saddened tone from the girl's voice, making her smirk softly. "There's no need to feel sad, sweetheart. Remember the good memories that make you the happiest."

"But… I don't really have any… not really..."

Tori paused in her steps, Fujino stopping with her, looking to her. Tori knelt down with a smile that, to Fujino, was very pretty. "You know, it may not seem like it, but I went through the same thing when I was your age. My dad and I moved up here from Osaka, because bad stuff happened, been here ever since. If it eases any, if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you. Talking about the stuff that hurts helps because in a way it heals, and makes things comfortable. May not cure all the way, but it helps; it sure helped me. The other teachers are here too along with Yamada-Sensei, so there's more than one outlet. But our nurse, Sonozaki-Sensei, she's really nice too. Know what else? She started the same day as I did. We grew up together, and been friends ever since, so she knows a thing or two about coming to a new place too. You can go meet her whenever you want, or you can find me and we can go see her together."

Fujino poked her glasses up. "I will come find you and we can meet her. I thank you very much for telling me."

Tori stood. "You're so welcome, any time." She said coming to a door. "We are now at your class. You're not getting nervous are you?"

"Um… Well…"

Tori felt her grip tighten, making her grin. "Hee, there's no need to be, your peers are just as nervous to meet you as you are to meet them. They're excited to meet you, too."

Tori knocked on the door and slid it open; many eyes were on them. Fujino's knees tried to turn to jelly but courage from Tori's hand prevented that, and they made it to the front, center of the room, standing before the class of 24 little faces of mixed expressions.

"Good morning, kids."

"Good Morning Tori-Sensei!" said unified voices of the class.

She turned to the business casually dressed man in the left corner of the room, who leaned down to the podium in front of him giving her a wolfish grin.

She returned the gesture. "Apologies for interrupting your class, Maebara-Sensei, but I'm just dropping off your new addition."

Maebara shook his head. "Oh no no, we weren't going into anything yet, Tori-Sensei. As a matter of fact we were actually brainstorming on what we were going to do with our new classmate to make her feel welcome."

"Oh?"

Tori looked to Fujino whom was looking everyone over before her making her gulp.

Tori giggled. "Well class, I won't bug you too much longer, but I would like to take the time to introduce you to your new classmate. Her name is Amemori, Fujino."

The children gave a series smiles and applause with waves. Then fell silent when Tori leaned forward with a whisper.

Fujino stepped forward. "Um… M-my name is Amemori, Fujino… I-I… I am 6 years old, g-going on 7… I-I am v… very-pleased-to-meet-you-all!" She said with a deep bow.

Mixed emotions erupted from the students, all agreeing on how cute she was.

Tori looked to Maebara who gave a thumbs up.

At the door she looked back to Fujino again. "Have a good day, Fujino-chan."

Fujino nodded watching Tori close the door, then looked to Maebara and came to her side.

"Alright kiddos, your new peer has become one of us, let's make her feel welcome in our classroom, cool?" He then looked to her. "Okie dokie, Amemori-chan, let's see here… There's an empty seat for you between Hayase-kun and Sana-chan. Go ahead and snag it."

She nodded and went to her seat, placing her pink Hello Kitty randoseru on the hook attached to the side of her desk.

* * *

After a few lessons, and with 30 minutes to spare before lunch, the kids gathered around Fujino's desk. Maebara smirked at the calamity as he leaned on his desk and looked over to a blue egg-shaped object that was attached to his key-chain on his satchel. Shifting his eyes around, he grabbed it and pressed buttons on it.

"So Amemori-chan, where are you from?"

"Ah," She gave a nervous smile. "Please it's okay to call me Fujino, but to answer your question I'm from Tokyo."

"Ooh, a big city girl." A boy smiled.

"Cool!"

"What made you come up here to our boring little town?" A girl asked.

Fujino gave a sweat drop. "Your town is actually very nice compared to Tokyo."

"Huh?!" A few girls exclaimed.

"But Tokyo is mega awesome! I wish I was living there!"

"Plus your bag is like mega cool!"

"Hello Kitty is my favorite show too!"

A boy looked closely. "A Tokyo exclusive probably? Very impressive."

"Uh oh, Mo-kun is having an Otaku moment."

He sniffed. "Excuse me for being able to call a special item when I see it. They only made limited quantity of these too, and in sold them in certain locations around the country; I saw it on the internet."

"Are you serious?"

"Man Tokyo always gets the bestest and coolest stuff!"

"Duh…"

"Hey you guys, enough about all that stuff let's ask her more questions!"

"Fine, Hotaru"

"Geez you're no fun."

Fujino giggled at how this conversation was going. _"A lively bunch huh?"_

"Hotaru is our class president, but he can be a real pain." Said a boy.

Hotaru licked his tongue.

A girl raised her hand. "Oh, um, what's your favorite color?"

Fujino looked to the ceiling. "Well, I don't have a favorite per se, I love them all. But if I had to choose only one, I guess pink."

"Wow, pink is my favorite color too!"

"Mine too!"

"I actually love yellow."

"Who cares, Nana."

"Meh, pink sucks."

"Only you, Kazuya…"

"Haha, he thinks everything sucks."

He nodded. "Yup, sure do."

"Oh oh!" A boy yipped. "My family owns the local dessert shop, do you like sweets?"

Fujino lit up. "I love sweets! All kinds!"

The boy's eyes sparkled. "That's great! W-well…" He blushed looking away. "Feel free to come in anytime, okay? I'll treat you."

"Hey Ichigo what gives!"

"Yeah you never treat us when we come in…"  
He snorted. "Well I mean… she's a really pretty girl… hehe-" He was pelted with a wave of pencils and erasers.

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Many said in unison.

"Shush! Don't let Shigeru-chama hear that, she'll kill you." A girl said.

"Ah can it, she can't do nothin'" Kazuya bit.

"Lunch is about to begin."

"Why you say that?"

"Look at the bean dips from the other classes peepin' in here like resident evil zombies, so weird."

"My, what a mess…"

The class looks to the window on the opposite side of the room that shown a crowd of kids peering in waving, while a commotion of other children behind them ran about the hallway.

"You guys have a good lunch! Man I'm starved…" Maebara waved as he opened the door and left.

As the class dissipated, Fujino opened her backpack and pulled out her lunch, a bento wrapped in a periwinkle, stars and moon patterned cloth.

"Hey, Fujino."

She turned to find three girls standing together before her with one waving shyly. She returned the gesture. "Hi there."

"Seeing how you're the new girl, and seeing that there is no one sitting with you it looks like, I wanted to know if you would like to come outside with Satako, Riza and I?" the girl asked.

"It would be really fun to eat lunch together… If you wanted that is." Riza said.

"Yeah! Whaddaya say, newbie?" Satako winked.

Fujino blushed to the floor. "Um…"  
"It's okay if you do want to, we totally get it, hehe."

Satako shrugged. "Yeah, we're kinda lame so…"

"Shut it, we are not!"

Fujino giggled. "Oh no you three seem fun, I'd love to eat lunch with you."  
"Yay!" Clapped Riza.

"We get to eat with the new girl~! This is gonna be friggin sweet. The other girls are bound to be green ice jelly." Satako grinned.

The girl rolled her eyes at her friends then shook her head to Fujino, giggling. "By the way, my name is Shoko."

Fujino nodded as she came to them. "Ha, it's nice to meet you Shoko."

"By the way, those are really cool glasses."

"Thanks!"

As they conversed and walked, Fujino thought. " _Wow, daddy was right…"_

* * *

On the playground the four laughed as they ate, sitting under a tree.

"Man the blossoms are so nice. And smell good too."

"Yeah but, I hope I don't get any in my food." Riza said moving her bento around from falling petals.

"Why's that, ya gonna turn into a tree?" Satako laughed.

"But it's true!"

"Knock it off you two." Shoko smirked, then looked to Fujino. "Sorry, but I'm envying your food right now, Fujino. It looks so good."

"Kee, it's okay. If you want I can ask Saiya Nee-san to make you one."

"Saiya Nee-san? Your sister?"

"Uh uh, she's my nanny."

The girls gasped.

"You have a nanny?"

Fujino nodded. "Uh huh, when my daddy goes to work she comes to the house and looks after me until he returns."

"That sounds cool." Satako grinned.

Fujino stirred her rice with her chopsticks frowning. "Yeah but… it kinda sucks, because I won't see daddy for a while… since he left for Tokyo this morning for his work…"

"Wow, your dad goes to Tokyo for work? That's friggin sweet! Wish my dad did."

"Geez Satako, you sound pumped."

"Well Shoko, when I get big enough, I'm working and moving there."

Shoko raised a brow. "Why?"

"Because it's cool."

"But why? What would you do there…? It's so big I mean the possibilities are…" Riza mewed.

"Well my timid friend, I plan on living somewhere cool and being cool. Heck, I already know exactly what I want to do."

Shoko leaned in. "And that would be?"

"Being a Harajuku model of course!"

"Wow… that sounds… so unlike you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What's your dad doing in Tokyo, Fujino?" Riza asked. "Is he there on business? My mommy goes there for business sometimes."

"Well, I guess you can call it that. He's the CEO of my grandpa's corporation."

The three got quiet, and looked around to one another, then back to Fujino.

Fujino tensed up. "D-Did I say something wrong?"

Riza shook her head. "No not at all."

"Hold up, a CEO? So does that mean you're, ya know… rich?" Satako asked with narrowed eyes.

Fujino blushed. "Eh… well not really… I mean…"

"Hey now," Shoko interjected. "What's that have to do with anything? She's eating lunch with us right? We're having fun, right? Come on, besides, she's nothing like Mami."

"U-um, who's Mami?" Fujino asked.

"A royal pain in the-"

"Satako." Shoko snapped. "Anyway, she's just a girl you don't ever want to be around or get mixed up with."

"Or ever talk to. " Satako added. "A real snob, very snooty for no reason, flaunts that her dad is an executive who travels all over the world. It's really annoying though, as she likes to brag to everyone where she's been. Not only that, she formed a group with other girls who are just as snooty and fake as she is, also from well to do families."

Fujino narrowed her eyes. "Mmm, she doesn't sound very nice at all. Wonder why they aren't at a more elite school…"

"She isn't nice, no. And who cares why they aren't in a certain school, even though I wish they weren't at this one, especially Mami. All I know is you're cool and nice, and at this school with us being our friend." Shoko winked.

"Yeah, you're pretty cool; for a girl that wears glasses with pink lenses, that is. Sorry if I got icy on ya." Satako blushed.

"It's okay, Satako, really. I can understand your purpose for it." Fujiko giggled.

Riza gave a shriek. "Waah! Oh no!" She crawled behind Satako.

"What?" Satako asked.

Shoko sighed. "Speak of the she-devil…"

A group of 9 girls whom were dressed in various styles walked together, halting most of the activity on the playground.

Shoko leaned over to Fujino. "See that girl in front with her nose in the air?"

"The really pretty one, who looks like she could be an idol on T.V.?"

Shoko scoffed. "She wishes… That's Mami. Hoshimi Mami. Don't let her beauty fool you, for underneath she's just a true blue kind of demon."  
Fujino jumped. "Oh…"

"See all those girls around her? They're "her friends", but a couple of them were bought. Yet they too are also just as nasty."

"My… They don't sound good at all."

"They aren't, but they've been like this. They're also known for being cruel."

"Cruel?"

Satako sighed. "Yup." She placed a hand on Riza's head whose face was buried in her shoulder. "Poor Riza here got some of the action last year along with a few other girls and boys. Pretty messed up I'd say."

Fujino's irises quivered. "I'm so sorry, Riza."

"Don't be Fujino." Satako smirked. "Shoko and I put an end to it real quick, and she wasn't even here all that long. We've had no problem since. "

"That's right," Shoko nodded. "You see Fujino, I came in the mid of the year last year, but I wasn't going to stand for any bullying as I experienced some at my old school. Satako, Riza and I became close quick after standing up to Mami together. And now that I know a little more about you I'm even gladder to have asked you hang out with us when I did."

"Yeah, we got to you first before they did; before they had a chance to make you stink like them. " Satako threw a piece sign.

Fujino yipped and started smelling herself, making Shoko and Satako laugh.

"It was a figure of speech girl, calm down." Satako licked her tongue out.

Fujino sighed.

A snide voice made all four girls jump. "Well, well. What do we have here?"

Shoko cut eyes. "Good afternoon, Mami-chan."

"It's Mami-chama to you, Sho-kun."

Shoko growled at Mami who only smirked as she overlooked the girls, before zeroing in on Fujino, who leaned away.

"Oh my, we have a new face here. And a pretty face at that. Well, not as pretty as mine, of course, but pretty all the same. What's your name?"

"F-Fujino. Amemori, Fujino"

Learning Mami's history, Fujino didn't know what to do. She was never bullied in her old school, but wasn't willing to go through it now.

"Oh~ Now that is a really nice name. I saw you and your papa walking in this morning and saw him leave in a really nice car. Does he do something important?"

"What's it to you." Satako snipped.

"Well, as you pathetic 3 are too dumb to understand, I aim to save those who share the same social status as me."

"From what exactly?"

"From being dragged down by ugly dumb people like you."

Satako growled as she stood. "Why you lousy no good-"

"Yo! What's going on here?!" yelled a boy's voice.

Fujino looked behind her and saw 3 boys jogging towards them.

"Oh Mami! Hayase Kaneki is coming this way!" said one of the girls from the group.

"Isn't he just the dreamiest…"

Mami blushed with sparkles in her eyes, then wailed to the center boy. "Waah! Kaneki-kun~!"

"Gaah!" He pushed. "What are you doing, Mami, what's the deal!"

"Oh Kaneki-kun, these girls were being so horrid to me. They're oh so jealous and just rude. Protect me…"

"Jealous my butt, you were the one over here trying to start stuff!" Satako bit.

Kaneki sighed in annoyance until he saw Fujino and smiled. "Oh hey, you're the new girl who's sitting next to me in class. Amemori Fujino, right?"

Mami's eyes shot open.

Fujino laughed nervously. "Ah, yeah… yeah."

"Sweet! But uh, I didn't get a chance to ask you a question earlier, though. But since you're here, I can ask you now; do you… play soccer?"

She nodded. "I play, yeah."

"Oh wow you do, that's great! How about you come with us and show what you got? We're playing a bit before lunch is over in the field. Your friends can come too if they want."

Mami clutched his t-shirt. "Kaneki…"

He rolled his eyes. "You can come too, Mami, I guess. But if I remember correctly you're not into sports, or watching them."

"I'm coming with!" She shouted.

He threw up his hands walking away, the boys laughing as they followed.

As they all made their way to the field, Fujino was looking around at the playground around her. The student population was surprisingly bigger than at her old school. Memories began to flood in about the times of playing with her friends back in Tokyo, Kimura-Sensei and a few other teachers sitting on benches watching them. She smiled to herself as her chest felt warm and fuzzy.

"OH WHOA!"

"HEY LOOK OUT!"

When she came out of her daze and back to reality all she saw was white, then black. Everyone was caught off guard by what happened. In all angles, Fujino was hit square in the face by a soccer ball. The impact knocking her off her feet, the ball snapping the frames of her glasses in half, followed with projectile blood shooting from her nose in the process. With her full body, she slammed flat to the cement below. Moans of pain arose from everyone around who saw and many came gathering around her.

"Fujino! Fujino!"

"Fujino-chan!"

"Holy crap dude!"

Riza covered her eyes crying. "No! Fujino's dead!"

"She's not dead, Riza. No need to cry." Shoko said gently.

The boys from the field came up.

"Holy crap, what happened?"

Kaneki looked to them. "Our ball hit the new girl dead in the face dude!"

"New girl? What new girl?"

"She's in my class and sits next to me. Well she did until one of you knocked her silly. Who was the one who made shot?"

"Yeah who killed the new girl?"

Riza started wailing.

Satako shouted. "Okay! Can we NOT say dead or dying, she's obviously alive, just swirly in the eyes!"

Fujino indeed had swirls in the place of eyes. A dazed smile was on her face and around her nose to parts of her chin and neck, blood was painted.

A boy with spiky black hair came through the crowd to Kaneki. "Hayase!"  
"Kaburagi? Dude, do you know who made the shot?"

"The shot? Oh! Yeah, I was the one who made the shot. Why?"

Kaneki pointed to Fujino. "You knocked a girl out… literally."

This prompted chatter among the crowd.

"Akira?"

"What?"

"Kaburagi-kun?"

"No way…"

Kaneki scratched his head. "I mean, what happened out there man? Normally you have good control over the ball. Actually, you've never kicked it out of the field before, or hit anybody, or both. I mean this ball was kicked so hard to the point of putting this girl out for the count."

"Dag Akira, you had to have put some timber on that ball."

"Yeah, a friggin power kick that broke thick framed glasses and nearly took a face off."

Akira turned red.

"I hope her nose isn't broken, that would suck."

"Hey, she's coming to!"

Fujino's swirls disappeared. Clenching her eyelids together she slowly opens them and sees an array of faces looking over her with her name echoing in her ears. Blinking she sits up, her nose and forehead feeling tingly with a burning sensation. "Uuuugh…"

"Fujino!"

"Oh thank goodness!"

"Fujino are you alright?"

She warily looked around. Rapidly she shook her head only to grab her face. "Uuugh, ouch…"

"Hey there, don't touch your face, Fujino." Shoko reached and held her hands. "Let's get you to Sonozaki-Sensei."

Fujino looked to her skirt and her vision started to enhance in and out of focus before going back to normal. "Oh… man…"

"Can you stand?"

"More importantly, can she see?" Satako said. "Her glasses are broke ya know and she's got some serious squints goin' on."

Shoko observed. "Oh crap she does."

"Broken…?" Fujino mewed.

Kaneki crouched down. "Yeah Fujino, your glasses snapped in half by the bridge. Bummer…"

"How are the lenses…?"

Shoko handed the glasses halves to her. "Surprisingly still in-tact."

Fujino sighed in relief. "Great. That's great."

"You'll be greater when we get you to the nurse's office."

"I-I'll take her." Akira said.

"You?"

He nodded. "I was the one who shot the ball making it hit her face, so it makes it my responsibility. That way I can tell what happened and find out the rest from there."

Shoko helps Fujino up. "Are you okay with that, Fujino?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay." She said before sneezing, blood squirting out on her shirt.

"Yikes girl! Here." Shoko said reaching in her skirt pocket pulling out a handkerchief.

"Thanks Shoko, sorry."

"No sorries, just keep it on that nose." She glared over to Akira. "You get her straight to the nurse, you."

"Yeah dude," Satako placed a hand on Akira's shoulder. "Be careful with our new friend here. Try anything funny, I'll find you and kick your butt." She said raising a fist.

He nodded with a soft smile that made Satako red in the face.

* * *

Down the hall, Akira led Fujino on his arm.

"Sorry I kicked the ball in your face…"

"It's totally fine, it was accident. I know you didn't mean it."

"But still I'm really sorry."

"Like I said it's okay. It was an accident… um… Akira, right?"

"Yeah, Kaburagi Akira."

Fujino smiled. "That's a nice name."

He blushed. "Thanks. But still… I'm really, really, sorry…"

She sighed. "No matter what I say you're still gonna say sorry, huh?"

"I feel really bad about it. Especially since you're the new girl and it's your first day, ah geez…" he sulked.

She giggled. "Actually, even with this happening, it's still a good day."

He looked to her. "Eh?"

"Yeah, it's still a good day. I had fun in class, made new friends and acquaintances, ate a yummy lunch with my new friends, and now I have another new friend… but he's a special person with an appropriate name, heehee, since we met through a day breaking soccer ball." She said snickering.

Akira looked up turning red all over.

* * *

"Tsk tsk tsk, oh my my my," Sonozaki said, she was a woman in her early twenties with blue hair that was tied in a messy back bun.

Fujino sat on an observation bed with a flashlight in her face. She squinted harder when the light came near her eyes.

Sonozaki shook her head. "Wowzer, what a first day it's been for you, Fujino-chan. Getting blast in the face by a runaway soccer ball…? Sheesh kiddo… that had to hurt."

Fujino smiled. "Well it didn't hurt at first, but after I woke up it kinda hurt."

"Kinda you say?"

"Yes ma'am. It doesn't hurt anymore though."

Sonozaki looked with a raised brow. "No?" She then wheeled over to the counter behind her and sanitized her hands before putting on a pair of medical gloves. When she came back she reached to Fujino's face and gently pinched around. "Does this hurt?"

"Nope."

"How about here?"

"Uh uh."

"Hmm…" She then poked the space between and above her eyebrow line making Fujino squeak with a flinch. "A ha… "Kinda" hurt, right?"

Akira looked down.

Fujino looked over and saw him sulking again. "Didn't I tell you not to feel bad? I said it's okay, I'll be better by the time school is out."

"Mmm, I would advise you go to the clinic afterschool honey. " Sonozaki said.

"No need, I have a special power like my mommy did, I'll be feeling good in no time, no worries."

"Special power huh? Well if you say so. But I would still go check it out."

"Also, Sonozaki-Sensei, would you mind not telling on Akira-kun?"

Akira shot a look.

"Not… telling on him?"

Fujino nodded. "Yes ma'am. It was really an accident. He didn't mean to. Besides, he didn't hurt anything on me. I'm alive."

"Well… I guess since you're asking me, but as a nurse I have to put on file why you were in here today, and missed class."

Fujino sighed. "That's fine. Just don't get him in trouble, okay? Please?"

Sonozaki looked to Akira who was giving Fujino a look of shock.

He stepped close to the bed. "But Fujino-chan-"

"No buts Akira-kun. It's all good." She grinned, throwing peace signs.

Akira's heart skipped a beat within making him gulp.

With blush she nodded. "Okay? All good, got it?"

He balled his fists, then surrendered with a bow. "I will not forget this, I will repay you one day, I promise! Cross my heart!"

Fujino grinned brightly. "Heehee oh brother, you're so weird, Kaburagi; but I like it."

* * *

The next morning, Fujino opened the door to her classroom and was greeted by Shoko, Satako and Riza.

"Fujino!"

"Mornin' to ya!"

"Good morning, Fujino!"

Fujino giggled heading to her desk. "Good morning."

"You let your hair loose today. How cute." Shoko said.

"How's your face, chicka?" Satako asked.

"Does it still hurt?"

Fujino shook her head. "Uh uh, it feels better thanks."

"Heck, you don't even look like you got hit. Can't tell a thing."

"I told you I'd be fine. Hehe, it was all healed up by the time I got home."

Satako raised a brow. "What are ya?"

"What about your glasses, Fujino?" Riza mewed.

Fujino raised a finger, and reached into her bag, pulling out a baby pink case. Opening it she pulls out a pair of glasses with metallic, rose gold frames.

"Holy crap, how fancy."

"Wait, are those the same lenses?" Shoko observed.

Fujino slid them on. "Sure are. I have two more pairs at home, but for the frames that broke yesterday this was the back up."

"You have back up glasses and frames? Smart."

"Kinda a must. Daddy said he knew that this sort of thing would happen, so he made sure that I had some in emergency."  
Satako nods until she sees something in Fujino's desk. "Yo chicka, what's that?"  
"Huh?" Fujino looks inside the cubby of the desk and sees the white object. "Looks like an, origami flower?" She said reaching in, pulling out a small origami flower as identified.

"Oooh, I wonder who it's from."

"A secret admirer, already? That was quick."

"Open it up, see if anything is wrote inside."

Fujino unfolds it; then sighs into a smile. "What a dork."

"Who?"

"What?"

"Who's a dork?"

She held it up. "It's from Kaburagi, Akira, an apology note. Heh, honestly…"

Riza held hands to her chest. "He's really sorry for what happened it looks like…"

Fujino chuckled. "Yes, I know he is, but I told him not to worry about it numerous times. Geez, what a drag, guess I'm going to have to go talk to him about this… again." She giggled, sticking out the tip her tongue.

* * *

-Present Day-

An orange and gold sky was painted behind darkened trees with cicadas singing away. Fujino sat on the edge of the porch watching the sky. Behind her the French doors opened, and Akira comes out, coming near and standing beside her.

"What are you doing out here?" He bellowed.

She chuckled. "Juust thinking about stuff, nothing important… It felt nice out here too, so I decided to, ya know, enjoy it."

"Yeah… I get it." He then sighed. "Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out how we know each other. It's bugging me."

She grinned. "Heh, I remember."

He looked to her. "Mind telling me?"

She thought for a moment then giggled, releasing a snort in midst of it. "Nah, it prolly wouldn't click anyway."

"Did you just snort?"

Fujino froze. "Uuh… yeah."

Akira paused before he broke in laughter. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Hahaha, that, that was so cute."

Fujino blushes bright, before joining in the laughter. "Oh brother, it doesn't take much for you does it? You're so weird, Kaburagi; but I like it." She said giving a soft smile.

Akira turns red at her words. "Wait, where have I heard that before…?"

Fujino shrugs before looking to the sky again. "Beats me…"

{Feel free to give feed back! This was a long one and a lot of editing to the best I could. Hope you enjoyed :D On to the next chapter!}


	6. Chapter 6: Summer Vacation IV

It was pitch black in the room and the time was 7:45 AM. Fujino stirred a bit before cracking her eyes open, revealing illuminated, light purple irises. After cuddling about under her covers a while longer, she looked over to the bed that Akira's mother was peacefully sleeping in. However, she could not see very well for long as everything began to look enlarged, forcing her to wince and squint to make things stabilize in focus which was not working for her. With a yawn she reached over into her bag next to her cot and searched around… and searched a moment more, only for her eyes to shoot open with her hand searching about in haste until she paused.

" _Oh no. Oh no, no, NO! Shit where did I put them?"_ She thought. _"I know I dropped them in here before laying down, what the- oh god! Not good not good, not good! CRAP!"_

With every item inside she felt up, there was no sign of them.

" _Dammit!"_ She screamed internally. _"Uuugh… okay… Calm down, Fujino; I'm sure they may have fallen on the floor and bounced somewhere. All I have to do is…"_ At that moment, her stomach dropped. _"FUCK! N-no- I-I didn't… gawd, yes I did… Why did I forget to… man alive…"_

Recalling, she remembered running home for a bit because her eyes started bothering her, itching to the point they burned when she rubbed. She went into her room and opened her night stand pulling out a pink case, then headed into her bathroom. Carefully she pokes into each eye, lifting away a clear contact lens and landing them into a small white case. After using eye drops and vigorously exfoliating her face, she sighs in relief. Caressing her face dry, she puts on a pair of light metallic pink eye glasses, and with a grin she leaves the bathroom, not realizing she left the contact case.

With a smiling grimace of pain, she reaches on the night stand and feels around until she felt the rigid design of a butterfly shape followed by the smooth length of the temple, finding her glasses. No longer having sight complications, she got out of the fleece covers of her cot and headed out of the room.

" _Well, this will be interesting. Waking him up with glasses on…Why didn't I grab my contacts? Great just great, and they're already sliding… and hear goes the poke… ugh, a reason why I don't like wearing them… Now I'm probably going to look stupid poking these up 80 million times, nice… I mean I could go home and put my lenses on but considering how itchy they were last night… oh well… and even if I did Saiya-Nee would fuss. I don't feel like having a lecture today…and I'm not going to abandon my duty over my stupid eyes. Besides; I haven't seen him in centuries, and have really failed on my duties as it is… while he's here I'm going to ensure he's well taken care of and do the best I can to make him happy. At least that's the oath I took on, right?"_

Standing over the bed she looks him over.

" _Aww, look at Aki-chi, sleeping so sound so comfy. Heh, I almost don't have the heart to wake him, but I can't let him miss breakfast. Though, I guess I can let him snore on until 8:30? Or maybe 9?"_ As she pondered, she got on and sat on her legs at the foot of his bed. _"Meh, why not? 9 it is."_

At the moment she looked to him, their eyes met making her blink. "Uh… Good Morning?"

Akira winced into a yawn and sat up. "Morning… what's with you? For the past week and a half you've been doing this to me."

"Doing what?"

"Sitting at the edge of my bed."

"Does it bother you?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "Well… not really… I mean, this is only one of the many weird things you've done since day 1. And, even though you're not technically in bed with me, like what I get back at the bund… it still kind of freaks me out. Because… to have someone watch me sleep like this it's… well, kinda creepy."

She grinned uneasily then looks away. "Geez, all of that just to say it bothers you. And you're just now telling me this?" She puffed her cheeks.

"Look I… hey…" He said freezing.

She shifted her eyes around before looking back at him, poking her glasses up with tensed shoulders.

"Wait a minute… I… You!"

She raised a brow in hesitance. "What?"

"Those glasses…"

"Ah… Yeah, what about them?"

"Have you always worn glasses? Of course you haven't ever since we met but… I mean, as a kid did you wear them?"

She forced a smirk. "Well… yeah… unfortunately… but, yeah."

Akira fell silent before shaking his head.

"Huh?" She leaned in to her hands. "What? What's the head shaking for? What'd I do?"

He gave a soft smile. "You did nothing… nothing at all… I'm so dense it hurts." He chuckled bowing his head deeply. "But ya know what… you changed way too much… too much I barely even knew you. Man, has it really been eons since we were together? God I suck… Everything is finally coming back to me." He said as memories raced in his mind.

"Um…" She blinked rapidly. "What're you talking about?" She crawled up to him and touched his forehead with hers, then pokes up her glasses again. "Hmm, no fever… Let me go get some tea on to help y-"

"Aw come on I'm serious!" He said grabbing her by her arms.

The gesture put her in shock. "Okay, okay I get it! You're serious!" She waved. "Geez, what's gotten into you?"

"Way too much, but I can say this now, I'm glad I finally recognize you."

Fujino was still bewildered, until it clicked. "Wait, Akira, you…? For real? Like, seriously?!"

"It's really been too long… Amemori Fujino. It's been ages…"

Her eyes quivered as droplets formed into globes of water. "You know me now… Like, for real…? All because I forgot my stupid contacts and wore…?" Her head gave way as she limped forward. "You recognize me because of my glasses… I don't know how to feel right now… I thought you completely forgot all about me… Like, I heard about your accidents and the insanity they left you with, all the shit you went through… I thought… I thought all memory and everything was gone forever along with me. I thought I lost you..." She started to cry.

He pulled her in to him. "Hey come on now, apparently my ordeals didn't do too much it looks like. As I said, it's been a long, long time." He said hugging her. "Way too long… but as you can see, I'm still here. I haven't gone anywhere."

She nodded with a sniffle. "I'm glad."

"Also please don't take this weird, as you probably know by now that I'm a werewolf, part of the Earth Clan?"

"Oh… right." Fujino said clutching his tank. "I heard something about that all over the news. What about it?" She asked looking up to him.

"I mention that because to be honest, your scent… it smelled… very familiar. I wasn't completely certain because I knew you disappeared for a while, and well, I didn't want to mistake you with someone else…" He said before giving a sigh. "Man, the more I think about all of it the more I really suck as a friend but, I'll make it up to you I swear on it."

"N-no no Akira it's okay, really!" She said before nuzzling into his collarbone. "Don't worry about all that, and seriously you don't suck as a friend!" She said raising hands to his face. "See? I'm perfectly fine, no redemption required; you made it up to me in full anyway." She cooed.

Akira rubbed his hair. "How exactly?"

"By letting me know that I got my friend back, duh." She giggled into a sigh. "All this time I was so worried about you. I thought I failed you because I left without saying goodbye... and you ended up getting hurt… but then again I couldn't find you or get to you or anything from the time I was away to when I came back, and mom she didn't know where…" She sighs turning away. "Damn it Akira, I just felt fucking awful, and I really did think we were going to be familiar strangers forever… and it scared me, because you didn't know me, or think it was me…I thought I was forgotten by you for good and you're..." She stopped herself before shaking her head. "Look, I know I was acting weird and I'm sorry for that, but I was just trying to make something jog your memory, you know, so you could remember; I was trying to let you know that it was in fact me and I was still here."

He noticed, and gently wiped her face clear of lukewarm tears. "I appreciate your effort, I really do. And I'm not mad or anything about it either. But I gotta admit, your antics haven't changed a bit; still Fujino…"

She nestled into the warm palms of his hands. "Good to know that hasn't changed."

"Yeah…" He said observing her chest. "You've really… um… I mean… you grew up in other parts." He said looking away to the floor with a red face. "But yeah it's you!"

She gave a piercing cat face. "Aki-chi, are you looking at my naughty bits?"

He cleared his throat. "All I said is that you grew up in other parts."

"Akira," She said locking her eyes with his. "Don't lie to me. You seriously blow at it, so don't even try anymore. You may be able to get away with it with Princess Mina Tepes but not with me."

He turned his sights to the ceiling grousing. "I wasn't lying. And I wasn't looking… D-hey! I don't lie to the princess!"

She sucked her teeth. "There go again. Save the fibs for later, Sir Knight." She rose away from him and stood to her feet.

"But I'm telling the truth…"

"Mhmm. Anyway, I'm going to go help Saiya in the kitchen. Was there anything specific you wanted for breakfast?"

"Um… no. Whatever you want to make, omelets, meat…"

She smirked looking back to him. "You're going to turn into an omelet, dude."

"What… B-hey! Why are you making me breakfast anyway?!"

"Does it matter?" She shrugged walking away. "Get cleaned and dressed, wolf boy. I set your clothes out for you too, so it shouldn't take you forever." She said heading for the door.

Akira's eyes shot big. "Set my clo- hey hold on!"

She looked over her shoulder. "See ya downstairs." She waved going out the door.

"Fujino, wait!" He said getting out of bed.

* * *

As Fujino stationed herself at a cutting board, Saiya gathered the ingredients as they came, throwing them into a sizzling pan.

"Hah." Saiya sighed. "It's so nice to have you back, your grace."

Fujino paused and looked to her. "Good to be back." She returned to chopping up a bundle of baby spinach. "I must say, I really appreciate you not doing that when he's around."

"Doing what?"

"Calling me the… you know… honorifics."

Saiya grinned. "Oho. Well, you did make it clear for me not to; besides you haven't told him about that have you?"

Poking her glasses with up, Fujino shook her head. "No… and he doesn't need to know. Our encounter has already been awkward, no need in mentioning something like that now. Plus I don't want him turning too weird on me. I mean he's hilariously weird, it's so cute… but people turn creepy when they find out they're in the presence of… royalty…" She said rolling her eyes.

"Come now, my dear." Saiya nudged. "There's no need to despair at your birth right or your status. Remember what Lady Kaburagi tells you."

"Yeah, yeah… By the way, I saw that Alistar called."

"Yes, she did."

"What did she want now?"

Saiya sighed airily. "Oh, wanted her weekly status on your well being. And as usual, wanted to know when you were returning. A couple of your suitors had come to seek your audience for a visit. Tis the season…"

Fujino winced and twisted her mouth in silence in response, then cleared her throat. "Oh, charming. Which ones, you remember or did she say?"

"No, dear. But uh, either way I know you don't really care, and quite glad you missed their drop in."

"Well I wish I didn't have suitors at all." She said looking out the window. "I don't even want to be married. Especially to someone I don't like or love."

Saiya huffed. "With a lot like that vying for your hand, I wouldn't want to be either."

Fujino blew air. "At least someone gets it."

The two share a burst of laughter.

"Gets what?" Said Akira coming into the kitchen.

Fujino and Saiya look to one another then smile. Saiya plates the food while Fujino shrugs. "Don't mind us, we're just talking about girl stuff. Hungry?"

He rubs the back of his neck with a childish grin. "Well I'd hate to admit it."

"Heh, silly." She said. _"Such a cutie."_

"Well you're just in time." Saiya said setting the table. "Let's have a seat and dig in."

Akira noticed only three meals were placed. "What about Mom?"

"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Saiya sat. "She went for her medical appointment this morning, something she does every two weeks. But not to worry, when she calls, I'll whip something right up for her. I'm surprised she didn't let you know."

He shrugged. "As long as she's taking care of herself, I have no complaints."

Fujino gave a solemn gaze. She could tell he was bothered.

" _No matter how much you try to conceal, I can see it all, Akira."_ She thought before eating and joining the conversation. _"Your pain, your loneliness, sadness… even your anger… Everything that you had endured and buried while I was away; it all radiates to me."_

* * *

As the day went on, she and Akira were inseparable, spending the day as they talked and laughed together.

" _I'm constricted by the immense strength of your memories, and hear the faded sorrowful cries in your howls. I wish I could take it all on at once and correct everything; make all of your hurt go away, and dry every tear missed, even though I'll never get to wipe it all up or numb the pain… But I had to leave, not only to survive, but to also train to get stronger… Stronger and better for you, so I could protect you more efficiently. Take care of you properly, as your knight. I know I left you unguarded, and you got hurt because of it… I'm so sorry. But no more apologies, no more leaving you alone; I made an oath to you without you knowing about it, and I sure as hell aim to keep it.  
I know you didn't believe me, when I told you on that summer day while we were kids, pretty sure you won't believe me now. You told me yourself that day that you didn't need anyone to look after you, with that silly grin on your face I love so much… But even if you didn't, and even if you still don't, I'd rather show you than tell you anyway; to tell you that, despite you not needing anyone to guard you, I'm always going to do so… without question or permission. Aki-chi… Akira… this is serious now. And it's about time someone worries over you for a change… and as long as I have the power to do so, I shall stay by your side and protect you, along with all you love and care for. That's a promise._"

"Damn, I haven't laughed this much in a long time!" He said falling to the bed below.

She smiled. "Glad to help."

"It sucks though."

She tilts her head. "What's with the 360?"

He sat up on the support of his elbows. "Because that's a sign when, the good times go fast to their end… happens all the time for me."

She straddles onto him and leans to rest on her arms that cushioned to his chest. "Well you're still on vacation, sir. Loosen up a bit. Enjoy everything while you're still here."  
He zeroed in on her cleavage. "Uh huh…"

"Hey you," She said catching his attention. "Focus up here."

A bead of sweat appeared on his blushing face. "My bad."

"Heh." She shrugged. "Anyway, let's end this break with a bang. Besides, even if it does feel like you'll be going back tomorrow, doesn't mean you have to act like you will. Hell we have a few more days left until then."

Akira looked up with a smirk. "Yeah you're right."

She nodded. "Now then, what would you like to do on these last days? I mean we've made ourselves menaces to the town. Selfies are fun but how many of those have we plagued each other's phones with?"

He chuckled. "Too many to count, but let's see… what to do…"

She thought as well until she snapped her fingers. "I got it. Let's go to Tokyo!"

Akira blinked. "Tokyo?"

"Yeah!" She swayed her butt before sitting up. "I mean I did come here directly from Tokyo airport but… I didn't really get to stay and enjoy anything. And it would be fun to run around and see what's still there, and what isn't." She said giving a side gaze. "Whaddaya say? A Tokyo adventure to close the break?"

Akira thought for a moment before smiling. "Let's do it."

* * *

*~Hello my friends! Sorry it took me a while to get this one but I hope you enjoyed it all the same. On to the next one!~*


	7. Chapter 7: Dive into the Lotus I

{Thanks so much for reading so far. I'll update as much as I can. For now here's a little "something-something" of the Dive in the Vampire Bund Story arch. A little tid bit. Nothing special. But I plan on incorporating a lot of chapters that tell the stories of other She-wolves and beast women along with this arch -_0 It may be a lot but in a way it would explain and introduce characters as the come in to the story at hand so ya won't go, "Who's this person?" Haha anyway enjoy. Reviews and suggestions are welcome ^_^ I can take the pain!}

Heavy rains had passed over the warm, illuminated neighborhood of Ipanema. Copper clouds passed above concealing the bright stars behind them. The air was murky but fresh with the gentle incoming hint of sea water from the Atlantic breeze. On a quiet street, a dark car pulls up in front of a house and cuts off. As the passenger window rolls down, smoke seeps out.

"Is this the place?" Said a male voice.

"[Yeah, this is where we've been tracking. She leaves for long periods of time then comes back. Hehe, such a bitch of habit.]" Said another male voice, emitting over speaker from a smartphone.

"How long we wait then? Or has she returned?"

"[Nah, she's not home right now.]"

"Then why we here?"

The voice chuckled. "[Because, you're not there for her… not this time.]"

The man shifted eyes to the middle aged man in the driver seat.

"Then, who?"

"[Have you forgotten?]"

The man cracked up. "Come on mang, we're stalking a lot of bitches at once, they're starting the run together give me a fucking break, haha."

The man on the phone sighed. "[Fair enough. To refresh that brain of yours, this one in particular has two others in this house with her. An old bat and a sweet young thing. Can you guess which one you snatching?]"

The man looked to the driver again then both smiled to one another.

"I get it now, sir."

"[Good. Now get to it. The brat is human so this should be a simple job. The bag we're not sure, but leave her alive; yet have bullets handy if you simply must put her down… and remember, most importantly, keep the merchandise alive with minimal bruising if you can help it. Quality deciphers the amount we get. Plus, don't want the bait dead or unable, we still have to lure the grand prize out. Don't fuck up. Vamos.]" The voice said before hanging up with a click.

"Alright," Said the man taking a pair of black leather gloves from the glove box. "Don your gloves gentlemen… It's officially bitch season."

"Cool with me." Said a man in the back.

"What we do with the old lady then?" Said the other man in the back loading his gun with .47 caliber bullets.

"Don't kill her." Said the man in the driver seat. "We need our target to have a reason to come running. Let me deal with her, you just get that girl."

"Alright."

"Let's go." Said the man in the passenger opening the door.

* * *

Within a pink and white room fit for a tween girl, an elderly woman with silver hair tied in a low bun smoothed out a rose pattern comforter on the bed. "Rozita, your bed is ready querida. Time for sleep."

A girl of fair tanned skin and dark brown, scruffy mid length hair groaned as she sunk in her chair at her desk. "But Ms. Hasegawa I'm not sleepy yet. It's only 11:00 pm."

Ms. Hasegawa rolled her eyes. "Only 11:00 pm she say. Feh, I won't hear it. You have school tomorrow and I want you to be _on TIME_ and _AWAKE_. So put that manga away. You were finished with your homework 37 minutes ago."

Rozita jumped, whipping around. "You time?"

"Sim, I have to with you. Keeps you from trying to get over. Now in this bed, right now."

Rozita sighed.

"Don't haah me Rozita Josephina, in this bed right now. Don't make me grab my stick."

Rozita tensed and hopped from her chair and took a running start, flopping into her bed face down. "Mmm, smells so good."

"Mm-hmm, it's the new fabric softener I bought at the store. So far so good." She said opening the window. "Ah the air perfect tonight. This should be a good night for good sleep. So no sneaking downstairs for T.V., got me?"

Rozita poked from under her comforter. "Aye! You know too much!"

"Fufu, you can never know too much. It's just what you know. Now get some sle-"

The doorbell rings followed by knocking.

"Now who could that be? At this hour…"

"Mm. dunno… I-I can get it."

"No no." Ms. Hasegawa said with a lifted hand. "You stay in bed and worry about dreaming, I'll go answer it."

* * *

The doorbell rings twice more followed by more knocks as Ms. Hasegawa paced down the steps. "Alright, alright! Aye… you'd think people would be sleeping right now what on earth…"

Ms. Hasegawa cracked open the door and peeked finding the middle aged man with his hat tipped. "Good evening, madam."

"Sim, can I help you?" She said giving a side eye.

"I was wondering if you could help me out, I misplaced my cell phone and I was wondering if you had one I can use."

"I'm sorry, I would let you use ours but-"

"Please madam, I need to get home to my grandson, you see I have his medication and he's alone at home."

"You, a grandfather?"

"Yes, madam. I know I don't look like I do but time has been kind."

"I can tell." She said with a smile.

"So what do you say, may I? I need to let him know to open the door when I knock. It is late and he's a good boy to not answer the door for anyone at this hour. Please?"

She sighed. "Okay." She closed the door and unhooked the chain. Then invited him inside. "Come on in. It's in the kitchen."

"Thank you so much." He said stepping in. However he paused and turned to her with glowing red eyes and bared fangs.

Stunned she started to scream before she was muffled by his hand and a struggle ensued between them. The other three men came in finding them on the couch.

"Get upstairs, vamos, hurry up!" He said with a lowered voice as he fought to keep a tearful Ms. Hasegawa quiet.

The men nodded as they charged up the stairs.

"Ms. Hasegawa?" Rozita called as she clutched her comforter. "Ms. Hasegawa what's going on?"

One man peered in, then smiled revealing his fangs glowing red eyes. "Oi Rozita."

As he rushed in with the other two men she squealed and screamed.

When the trio came down with one cradling an unconscious Rozita, Ms. Hasegawa saw what was happening and began to frenzy in a muffled yell only for her attacker to struggle with her once more. She tried to bite the man's hand but he was unfazed thanks to his glove. He pulled her along towards an open closet that contained the washer and dryer and shoved her inside slamming the door shut.

"Quick, get me a chair or something!" He directed as the two men from the backseat gathered objects.

Behind the door, Ms, Hasegawa banged and yelled for help. Screaming for Rozita and pleading for the men to cease their action. They only laughed as they calmly locked and went out the door.

Rozita was bound with silver tape around her wrists and ankles, her mouth stuffed with cotton balls and a bandana tied around her head to hold them in.

"In the trunk?" Asked one of the men.

"No put her in the back with you two. Less bruising that way." The man said getting into the passenger side.

They set and strapped her into the middle in the backseat then got in. The man pulled out his phone and placed it on speaker.

"[Well?]" Said the familiar voice.

"Easiest job ever, sir."

"[Excellent.]"

"Sim, the old lady is alive too. A bit of a fighter for a human but alive without injury or fatality."

"[Beautiful work. Bring that bitch child here, the next act will proceed; the money is waiting as well.]"

"Perfecto, we're on our way." He nodded to the driver whom started the car.

They drove away silently into the night as it began to rain once again.


	8. Chapter 8: Dive into the Lotus II

On the outside it was an overcast monochrome day, yet on the inside, it was dark and silent for Ms. Hasegawa. Her face was cold and soggy from the fallen tears. The air was stale with the faint fragrance of fresh cotton linen and pink rose provided by the laundry soaps and powders. Thankfully she was a small woman of 5'1, or else the space would be cramped.  
Her mind raced as it was on repeat replaying Rozita's abduction, and generating thoughts of what could possibly be happening to her now. She wanted to know where they took her, why they did it and how could she have this happen.  
Suddenly, she heard the clicks and clack of the front door making her snap out of her helpless daze and listened carefully, hearing clicks of heels.

"Hello?" called a female voice.

She recognized the sweet voice and was overcome with relief as she began banging on the door with haste as hard as she could.

"Miharu! Miharu in here! Let me out! Please Miharu! Help! Help!" She shouted.

As she banged she heard the clicks rapidly come close. "Ms. Hasegawa- what the! Ms. Hasegawa?!"

"Please darling let me out please!"

"Hold on, I'm clearing the door!"

Ms. Hasegawa was wrapped in a pink blanket, shaking with glassed eyes sitting at the dining table. A poercelain white cup was handed to her by a cocoa hand and was taken by her with both hands. "Thank you…"

"Always…" Said Miharu. Sitting in the next chair facing her. "I know this may be a bit early for questions, Auntie. But you know I must ask…"

"Oh no. I know you must. Has the special investigation unit been alerted?"

Miharu nodded. "Sim. They'll be here soon."

Ms. Hasegawa nodded. "Good." She said dipping her cup.

"How long were you in there, do you know?"

"Perhaps, since last night. I only slept once I was so tired. But honestly I have no idea… What time is it?"

Miharu pulled out her phone. "Almost 5…"

"Oh my god… I been in there for a long time then. They came in here quarter to midnight."

"A quarter to midnight?"

"Yes… I knew it seemed odd but I didn't want to be unkind. You see one man posed himself as a grandfather trying to contact his grandson and of course I decided to help him. I never seen this man before and I was uncertain of him, just by that alone, but I didn't know if the man was from another neighborhood or what, never know. So I let him in, and as soon as I did he rushed and hushed me- oh Miharu it was frightening! His eyes were red and everything with fangs!" She said breaking down.

Miharu's eyes became stricken. "Red eyes and fangs? You mean like… a vampiro?"

"Sim! That's exactly it and then there were 3 more that stormed in with the same red eyes and the fangs…" Ms. Hasegawa paused for a second. "Oh no… You don't suppose they were…?"

Miharu became silent. Her mind went blank and black.

"Major Montera. Major Montera you there? Miharu?"

Miharu opened her eyes and saw a familiar face of a girl her age, with blue-green hair styled in a bob looking over her.

"If you can hear and or see me respond."

Miharu swallowed but her throat felt like sandpaper was stuck in it. She then motioned her hands as they shook on their way to her chest and cupped her fingers before fanning them.

"She saluted. She's responsive."

"Good" Said another familiar face whom appeared. A middle aged woman with a beauty mark on her right cheek and white platinum hair. "Major. Can you speak?"

Miharu only blinked and looked around in a daze.

"Montera. Look at me." Said the woman.

Miharu did so on command.

"This is no time to fall into shock. I understand the emotions you are feeling as I have been there. But you must get out of that state, for the sake of your sister."

Miharu's eyes widened as she turned away.

"But. Ma'am…"

The woman looked to the girl. "Quiet Batista. This situation must not be handled delicately or she'll never get out of it. I refuse to let her get lost."

Batista looked down to Miharu, saddened.

"Montera, listen to me. I understand this is yet another huge loss for you. Rozita was the last of your familia here, yes? You two lost your parents at very young ages, and were both the only family you had from then. Ms. Hasegawa has been a kind friend, taking you both as her own and becoming another edition to your familia.  
However, now is not the time to shut down; Rozita is still out there, and you have a chance to get her back."

Miharu cut her eyes. "I won't get her back…"

"How do you know that? Will you not try?"

"What would be the point?" Miharu's bangs shrouded her eyes. "What would be the point of trying to find her when I know they already killed her by now or worse?" She said with tears. "What'd you expect? They killed dad and he wasn't a Lotus Clan woman. Then mami, I know they killed her because she never came home. Now Rozita's gone and I know whatever they do to her I'll never see her again… Why must everything be taken away from me?!"

"Shut… up."

Miharu shot to the woman then sat up. "What did you say?"

"Oh please, no, not now!" Batista stood. "Lady Ivanna-"

"Hush."

"Don't tell Larissa to hush!" Miharu jumped up.

"Miharu, don't!"

Ivanna smiled. "Good, you decided to stand finally."

Miharu growled. "You-"

"Say it."

Batista clenched Miharu. "Don't do it. Stop this."

"Say it, girl-pup. Tell Ivanna what she is. Make my day."

Miharu clenched her teeth baring her canines.

Batista looked away as the other women in the room lowered their heads.

Ivanna stared the girl down. "Well what are you waiting for pup? Speak! Say!"

Miharu bellowed a growl. "… Bitch…"

All in the room winced save for Ms. Hasegawa who only blinked in disturbance, and Ivanna, whom only smirked with shining ruby red lips.

"Very good, Montera. Do you feel better? Get it all out your system?"

Miharu looked away feeling heat circulate around her body.

"Good, good. Now that your fur is nicely fluffed and roughed with you mad as fuck, mind putting the rest of that temper to use by getting out there and finding that sister of yours. Or will you sit here crying puppy tears, allowing those Mercato bastards make a sniveling "bitch" out of you?"

Miharu looked back to Ivanna with a long glare with Ivanna returning the gesture. Eventually with a sigh, Miharu slid on her heels and stormed out the door.


End file.
